Wind-responsive louver construction



H. F. SCHULZE WIND-RESPONSIVE LOUVER CONSTRUCTION July 14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 2:5, 195s mmvToR. HARVEY F. Scuu uza I ATTOQNEYS July 14; 1959 H. F. SCHULZE 2,894,445

- WIND-RESPONSIVE LOuvER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 23, 1956 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v T1ea3 58 z '20 lb 74 v. 49 1s IN V EN TOR.

e? E ScuuLzE United States Patent WlND-RESPONSIVE CONSTRUCTIGN Harvey F. Schulze, Sturgeon Bay, Wis.

Application November 23, 1956, Serial No. 623,899

3 Claims. (Cl. 98-95) This invention relates generally to an improved louver assembly of the wind closed, weight opened type.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a more practical and eflicient louver assembly of this type, which is more susceptible to mass production, is composed of a minimum number of simple and easily assembled parts, is more reliable in action, and which provides greater sealing of a ventilation opening in which the assembly is installed, when the louvers are closed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a louver assembly of the character indicated which can be made in attractive, rugged, and serviceable forms at relatively low cost, is easily installed and maintained, and is highly satisfactory and practical for the purpose intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming apart hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of louver assembly in accordance with the present invention, installed in an opening in a wall;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Figure 1, showing the louvers closedtby excessive wind pressure;

Figure3 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal section takensubstantially on the line 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section similar to Figure 2, showing the louvers in open position in full lines and in closed position in phantom lines.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a fragmentary portion of a building wall B is shown which has therethrough a rectangular opening 0, in which is installed a louver assembly in accordance with the present invention and generally designated 10.

The louver assembly comprises a rectangular main frame 12 having on its outboard or front edge a lateral peripheral flange 14 engaging the outboard side 15 of the wall B.

The main frame 12 is suitably shaped to conform to the Wall opening 0. The frame 12 has on its inboard edge a peripheral inwardly extending flange 16 which has along its inboard periphery an inwardly opening groove 20. The bottom portion 22 of the flange 16 has therein a central opening 24.

The flange 16 is rectangularly conformed and has telescoped therein a rectangular sub-frame 19 whose bottom portion 26 has therein an opening 28 registered with the opening 24 in the flange 16. The inboard edge of the subframe 19 has thereon an outwardly opening groove 38 cooperating with the groove to hold therebetween peripheral edge portions 31 of a screen 32. which is provided to prevent insects, birds or the like from passing through the louver assembly into an attic, for example.

The outboard edge 34 of the subframe 19 is spaced from the inboard edge of the main frame 12 so as to de- 2,894,445 Patented July 14, 1959 fine with the flange 16 a peripheral forwardly opening slot 36.

An inboardly opening U channel section frame 38 is interlockingly seated in the sides and bottom of the slot 13 corresponding to the sides and bottom of the flange 16 of the subframe 19 and comprises inner and outer side flanges 40 and 42 and an outboard web 44. The outer flange 42 is interlockingly engaged in the slot 36 and is retained therein in any suitable manner. Suitably secured on the outboard surface of the web 44 is a strip 46 of sealing material of any suitable character, the strip 46 extending along the vertical and bottom portions of the channel frame 38. I

As seen in Figure 2, extending across the under side of the top member 17 of the flange 16 is an angle bar 47 having a leg 48 engaged in the top of the slot 36, with a depending leg extending along the top member 17 of the flange 16.

Extending horizontally between the opposite vertical side members 13 of the frame 12 are a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal louvers 52. Each louver 52 comprises an elongated rectangular flute plate 54 whose inboard sides are sealingly engaged at their ends with the sealing strip 46 on the vertical web 44, see Figure 3, when the louvers are closed. The plate 54 has on its upper edge an inboardly offset portion 58 on whose outboard side is secured a horizontally extending sealing strip 56 to be engaged by a next above louver in the closed position of the louvers. The lowermost louver, indicated at 52", sealingly engages the portion of the sealing strip 46 extending across the bottom of the channel frame 38. The sealing strip 56 on the uppermost louver 52 sealingly engages the inboard side of the leg 50 of the angle bar 47 when the louvers are closed, see Figure 2.

Journaled in the flange 40 of the side members of the channel frame 38 and spaced inboardly from the vertical web 44 are lateral stub shafts 62, Figures 2 and 4, which are secured to the inboard sides of the offset upper portions 58 of the louver plates 54. Fixed on and extending in an inboard direction from the inboard sides of the louver plates 54 are flat arms 64 braced by offset plates 66. The arms 64 have inboard ends 68 having therein longitudinal slots 70,.see Figure 3. The arms 64, one to each louver, are centrally located in the plates 54 and have inboard ends 68 having therein longitudinal slots 70, see Figure 3. The arms 64 are of a suitable resilient material enabling the portions 74 and 76 at opposite sides of the slots to be displaced relative to each other to permit an intermediate portion of a vertical connecting rod 78 to extend through the slots. The vertical connecting rod 78 has thereon in uniformly vertically spaced relationship, pairs of vertically spaced abutments between which the arms 64 are engaged, as clearly seen in Figure 4. Considering Figure 4, wherein the louvers 52 are shown in open position, the louvers pivot downwardly together toward closed positions in synchronism because of the connections thereto of the connecting rod 78, said rod moving in an upward and inboard direction as the louvers are closed. The lower portion of the connecting rod 78 depends through the openings 24 and 28 in the flange 16 and the sub-frame 19, and terminates in a hook 82 which receives thereon a hook 84 rising from a counter balance weight 86, composed of a plurality of separate weights 88 of different poundages, which can be added or taken away for adjusting the weight of the weight 86. The weight hook 84 has a threaded shank 90- traversing the weights 88, and a nut 92 is threaded on the lower end of the shank 90 to retain the weights 88. The weight of the weight 86 is to be adjusted to predetermine the amount of wind pressure on the outboard sides of the louvers 52 which 3 can close the louvers from their normally open positions, in which the weight 86 holds them.

For the purpose of distributing the wind pressure on the outboard surfaces of the louvers 52, the louver plates 54 have on the outboard sides thereof, central tetrahedrons 94 which tend to prevent wind directed on the outboard surfaces of the louvers from passing therebeneath and thereby facilitate closing of the louvers.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

'1. In a louver assembly, a rectangular main frame, a rectangular sub-frame telescoped in said main frame,

a channel frame interlockingly seated in said sub-frame and comprising laterally inward and outward flanges and an outboard web connecting said flanges, said channel frame having vertical side members, horizontal louvers each carrying an arm extending between said side members, said louvers having side edges and upper and lower edges, inboardly offset portions on the upper edges of the louvers, horizontal stubshafts on said offset portions journaled in the inner flanges of the channel frame side members at points spaced inboardly from the outboard webs of the side members, said offset portions having outboard sides having sealing strips thereon, said louvers having inboard portions at their lower edges with which said sealing strips are engageable only in the closed positions of the louvers, and means operatively connecting said arms to said louvers for moving the louvers between closed and open positions.

2. In a louver assembly, a rectangular main frame, a rectangular sub-frame telescoped in said main frame, a channel frame interlockingly seated in the sides and bottom of said subframe and comprising laterally inward and outward flanges and an outboard web connecting said flanges, said channel frame having vertical side members, horizontal louvers each carrying an arm extending between said side members, said louvers having side edges and upper and lower edges, inboardly offset portions on the upper edges of the louvers, horizontal stubshafts on said offset portions journaled in the inner flanges of the channel frame side members at points spaced inboardly from the outboard webs of the side members, said offset portions having outboard sides having sealing strips thereon, said louvers having inboard portions at their lower edges with which said sealing strips are engageable only in the closed positions of the louvers, and means operatively connecting said arms to said louvers for moving the louvers between closed and open positions, said sub-frame having extending along the top a depending horizontal element having an inboard side with which the sealing strip of the uppermost louver is engageable only in the closed positions of the louvers.

3. In a louver assembly, a rectangular main frame, a rectangular sub-frame telescoped in said main frame, a channel frame interlockingly seated in the sides and bottom of said subframe and comprising laterally inward and outward flanges and an outboard web connecting said flanges, said channel frame having vertical side members, horizontal louvers each carrying an arm extending between said side members, said louvers having side edges and upper and lower edges, inboardly offset portions on the upper edges of the louvers, horizontal stubshafts on said offset portions journaled in the inner flanges of the channel frame side members at points spaced inboardly from the outboard webs of the side members, said ofiset portions having outboard sides having sealing strips thereon, said louvers having inboard portions at their lower edges with which said sealing strips are engageable only in the closed positions of the louvers, and means operatively-connecting said arms to said louvers for moving the louvers between closed and open positions, said sub-frame having extending along the top a depending horizontal element having an inboard side with which the sealing strip of the uppermost louver is engageable only in the closed positions of the louvers, said channel frame having a bottom member having an outboard side and a sealing strip on said outboard side with which the lower edge of the lowermost louver is engageable only in the closed position of the louvers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 961,016 Reitz June 7, 1910 1,014,679 Von Wagner Jan. 16, 1912 1,018,585 Reitz Feb. 27, 1912 1,949,793 Ing Mar. 6, 1934 2,340,570 Siebenlist Feb. 1, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,758 Great Britain Feb. 25, 1886 

